School's out, and the kids might want to forget about books and reading. But the Calgary Public Library has an interactive program, sponsored by Pan Canadian, that is both fun and educational.

And you don't have to live in Calgary to play the game, which involves searching for Professor Pummel, who has become lost while travelling the world to photograph his favourite animals. Spiky echidnas, burrowing owls, termites, ballooning pufferfish, ancient tortoises, red-eyed frogs and grayfish are among the professor's subjects.

Professor Pummel, who had a lifelong dream to write a book, set out on his adventure two months ago, heading to the Arctic for his first assignment. At the outset, he promised to write often, but nobody has heard a word. Now it's up to us to find the professor, beginning with a visit to the Arctic.

There are eight stops in the itinerary. To follow his travels, kids must read the note at each stop and uncover a clue as to the professor's whereabouts.

Along the way, children can learn about animals from all over the world. One of the activities includes finding all the different animal homes.

There is also a list of books for children to read as they get involved in the adventure.

The Crazy Creature Caper can be done on the Internet, too. For each of the professor's eight stops, there is a colorful web page detailing one of the animals he is searching for. Included on the pages are games, information about the animals and, of course, the clue to the next stop. The Crazy Creature Caper is interactive, and kids are encouraged to e-mail the professor with their answers and thoughts.

Check out the website at www.calgarypubliclibrary.com. Click on 'Kids' section to get to the reading game.